Never liked Balaguer. Thought he was a backwards Trujilloista. His people were impossible for foreigners to do business with. They were so bizarre and insular, even the Maffia couldn't get along with them. And his racism was open and notorious.
But, for virtually SIXTY-FIVE YEARS (excepting, notably, 1978 to 1984), the DR was politically, and largely economically, controlled by Trujillo and his successor Balaguer. In various other ways, they molded the country in their images as well. Even as recently as 1996, the country was in many respects still Balaguer's - certainly the institutions and economic governance (as the ecnomy continued to be oddly insular) were still recognizably his. And the political system continues to be so much his creation that the country should be called a "Balaguerocracy".
To Balaguer's credit, he decreased the level of violence that he employed to govern when he regained power in 1984. He learned from the late President Guzman that the country could be governed, and that he could retain power, without overt, visible violent attacks on his rivals and critics.
For those, like me, who appreciate "dominicanismo", it will be hard to let Balaguer go. Love him or hate him, he WAS the Dominican Republic.
But, for virtually SIXTY-FIVE YEARS (excepting, notably, 1978 to 1984), the DR was politically, and largely economically, controlled by Trujillo and his successor Balaguer. In various other ways, they molded the country in their images as well. Even as recently as 1996, the country was in many respects still Balaguer's - certainly the institutions and economic governance (as the ecnomy continued to be oddly insular) were still recognizably his. And the political system continues to be so much his creation that the country should be called a "Balaguerocracy".
To Balaguer's credit, he decreased the level of violence that he employed to govern when he regained power in 1984. He learned from the late President Guzman that the country could be governed, and that he could retain power, without overt, visible violent attacks on his rivals and critics.
For those, like me, who appreciate "dominicanismo", it will be hard to let Balaguer go. Love him or hate him, he WAS the Dominican Republic.